Re: Edward Rogers Tried To Block Raptors' Contract Offer To Masai Ujiri

[RealGM Wiretap]

Edward Rogers tried to block the new contract the Toronto Raptors offered to Masai Ujiri, expressing a belief that he was not worth the size of the deal.

Rogers is the former chairman of Rogers Communications and is a board member of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. Rogers Communications owns a 37.5 percent stake of MLSE. Rival telecom BCE Inc. owns another 37.5 per cent and Larry Tanenbaum’s Kilmer Group controls the balance.

One NBA team’s offer included a three-percent ownership stake along with a salary that eclipsed the $15 million per year deal he ultimately struck with MLSE. Rogers was the holdout after Bell and Tanenbaum agreed to the Ujiri offer. Ujiri also received interest from English Premier League teams. 

Rogers said Sunday that he has the “utmost respect for Masai Ujiri,” citing his leadership, track record in scouting and building a roster, and his global citizenship. 

“Above all, I respect the man,” Rogers said. “Masai built an NBA Champion and I have every confidence in him and his team to do so again.”

Following a July meeting, Rogers called Ujiri and told him he wasn't worth the money he was being paid. The call left Ujiri feeling so angry and disrespected that he considered taking a year off as president of the Raptors. Others in the MLSE ranks went into damage control and reassured him he'd be protected from Rogers. 

Via Christine Dobby, Doug Smith/Toronto Star

[PT416]

#Clown

[dougthonus]

In a comparison sense, I'm not sure he's like 50% better than the typical guy in his position, so from that perspective, I agree, he's overpaid.

That said, the amount he's paid is trivial relative to other expenses to run an NBA team, and he's clearly one of the best in the business. If you know you have an elite GM then you keep him, even if the money doesn't necessarily make sense relative to peers because that extra balance you are paying him is what 3-4 million dollars vs an elite peer? That's nothing relative to making one better decision on a contract that saves you that much.

You replace him with someone lousy and you are in a world of hurt, and your odds of replacing him with another elite GM are none.

Beyond that, what kind of moron, after coming to terms and finally caving wants to call the guy and tell them that it was a mistake. Once you've gone all in, you better ride or die with this guy.

It's stupidity on all levels.

[Jcity08]

Ed Rogers can eat ****, thank god Larry T took control of the decision and got Masai the packaged he wanted and was due.

[Tofubeque]

In a comparison sense, I'm not sure he's like 50% better than the typical guy in his position, so from that perspective, I agree, he's overpaid.

That said, the amount he's paid is trivial relative to other expenses to run an NBA team, and he's clearly one of the best in the business. If you know you have an elite GM then you keep him, even if the money doesn't necessarily make sense relative to peers because that extra balance you are paying him is what 3-4 million dollars vs an elite peer? That's nothing relative to making one better decision on a contract that saves you that much.

You replace him with someone lousy and you are in a world of hurt, and your odds of replacing him with another elite GM are none.

Beyond that, what kind of moron, after coming to terms and finally caving wants to call the guy and tell them that it was a mistake. Once you've gone all in, you better ride or die with this guy.

It's stupidity on all levels.

Technically Rogers never caved, he was overruled by Tanenbaum who holds governor rights.

Still, classless any way you look at it.

[BigHustle]

Good cop, bad cop. Grow up, masai is a big boy.

[Cassius]

In a comparison sense, I'm not sure he's like 50% better than the typical guy in his position, so from that perspective, I agree, he's overpaid.

I don't think 50% speaks to how much better he is than the average GM, or how much better he's been than all of his predecessors in Toronto, combined.

Last year in Tampa was the first season that the Raptors didn't best the pre-Masai franchise record of 47 wins
The Raptors had been to the second round once before he arrived in 2013, they've been to the second round 5 of 8 years since, including a game 7 first round loss to Brooklyn his first year.
I'm about 90% sure, but the only tax team they've had during his tenure was the title team
The Raptors operate in a different country and all the perceived/real challenges that comes with
Giants of Africa returns dividends for the entire league (e.g. Embiid came through the program) and not just the Raptors
He won a title with zero lottery picks on the roster
He's had two lottery picks since taking over the Raptors, Poeltl at #9 used to get Kawhi, and now Scottie Barnes who already looks like legit
Raptors G-League program one of, if not the best in L
His draft/undrafted FA player record is better than basically everyone, even going back to Denver
Mentioning Denver, his first trade was the Melo deal
Never lost a trade in Toronto, but isn't a d**k about it like Morey/Ainge
Jurassic Park was really the first outdoor watch party of its kind, at least at that scale.

Compared to Colangelo, Rob Babcock, Glen Grunwald (okay) and Isaiah Thomas (strange tenure); I can't even begin to explain what a difference he's made. I stopped watching the team when Bosh left as it was too painful. Fast forward to 2013, and there are reports that Masai handed MLSE leadership a list of 13 people who had to be fired before he'd take the job.

He's the best, and probably worth $20 million if we really broke it down.

[Rashidi]

In a comparison sense, I'm not sure he's like 50% better than the typical guy in his position, so from that perspective, I agree, he's overpaid.

LeBron isn't 50% better than the average NBA starter.

It's tiny margins that separate 10M players from the veterans minimum.

You pay a premium for elite talent.

[dougthonus]

In a comparison sense, I'm not sure he's like 50% better than the typical guy in his position, so from that perspective, I agree, he's overpaid.

I don't think 50% speaks to how much better he is than the average GM, or how much better he's been than all of his predecessors in Toronto, combined.

Last year in Tampa was the first season that the Raptors didn't best the pre-Masai franchise record of 47 wins
The Raptors had been to the second round once before he arrived in 2013, they've been to the second round 5 of 8 years since, including a game 7 first round loss to Brooklyn his first year.
I'm about 90% sure, but the only tax team they've had during his tenure was the title team
The Raptors operate in a different country and all the perceived/real challenges that comes with
Giants of Africa returns dividends for the entire league (e.g. Embiid came through the program) and not just the Raptors
He won a title with zero lottery picks on the roster
He's had two lottery picks since taking over the Raptors, Poeltl at #9 used to get Kawhi, and now Scottie Barnes who already looks like legit
Raptors G-League program one of, if not the best in L
His draft/undrafted FA player record is better than basically everyone, even going back to Denver
Mentioning Denver, his first trade was the Melo deal
Never lost a trade in Toronto, but isn't a d**k about it like Morey/Ainge
Jurassic Park was really the first outdoor watch party of its kind, at least at that scale.

Compared to Colangelo, Rob Babcock, Glen Grunwald (okay) and Isaiah Thomas (strange tenure); I can't even begin to explain what a difference he's made. I stopped watching the team when Bosh left as it was too painful. Fast forward to 2013, and there are reports that Masai handed MLSE leadership a list of 13 people who had to be fired before he'd take the job.

He's the best, and probably worth $20 million if we really broke it down.

Nothing you said disagrees with what I said.

As I noted, if you compare him to his peers, he's paid way more than everyone else, and I don't think his impact is 50% greater than whomever you think the 2nd best guy is.

But as I said, the amount of money is so small here it isn't worth talking about relative to the difference he can make on the team, especially with a team like Toronto that has some fundamental disadvantages.

[dougthonus]

LeBron isn't 50% better than the average NBA starter.

1st, LeBron is more than 50% better than the average NBA starter, pretty trivially. You might need to get into semantics about what you mean by "better" but by "better", I'm talking about generating wins. LeBron probably generates 5x as many wins as an average NBA player at least without looking up the exact figures.

2nd, the comparison would be like saying LeBron is worth 50% more than Durant, not an average NBA starter. Masai probably makes at least 5x the median salary for a guy in his position.

Again, as I said, I would still pay him. I just get for someone only doing the math looking at peers how they would come to this conclusion.

[dubbmotta]

In a comparison sense, I'm not sure he's like 50% better than the typical guy in his position, so from that perspective, I agree, he's overpaid.

That said, the amount he's paid is trivial relative to other expenses to run an NBA team, and he's clearly one of the best in the business. If you know you have an elite GM then you keep him, even if the money doesn't necessarily make sense relative to peers because that extra balance you are paying him is what 3-4 million dollars vs an elite peer? That's nothing relative to making one better decision on a contract that saves you that much.

You replace him with someone lousy and you are in a world of hurt, and your odds of replacing him with another elite GM are none.

Beyond that, what kind of moron, after coming to terms and finally caving wants to call the guy and tell them that it was a mistake. Once you've gone all in, you better ride or die with this guy.

It's stupidity on all levels.

You make valid points. BUT dude is underpaid..he's making the Toronto Raptors a TON more money. Raptor games are up there in viewings with the top sitcoms in Canada. Merch up there sales like crazy, only team in Canada, he has the WHOLE country cheering for them..I looked it up, they have the lowest operating income in the league but ranked 10th highest value https://www.forbes.com/nba-valuations/list/#tab:overall

[NatiboyB]

Go ahead and let Ujri go other teams will gladly bring him in. To be honest he’s that guy front office wise. He is the raptors. You lose him he takes the culture with him.

[Cassius]

Nothing you said disagrees with what I said.

As I noted, if you compare him to his peers, he's paid way more than everyone else, and I don't think his impact is 50% greater than whomever you think the 2nd best guy is.

But as I said, the amount of money is so small here it isn't worth talking about relative to the difference he can make on the team, especially with a team like Toronto that has some fundamental disadvantages.

Oh, you said he's only 50% better than the average guy. 50% better than second best? Yeah, probably not THAT much better.

[Lockdown504090]

Nothing you said disagrees with what I said.

As I noted, if you compare him to his peers, he's paid way more than everyone else, and I don't think his impact is 50% greater than whomever you think the 2nd best guy is.

But as I said, the amount of money is so small here it isn't worth talking about relative to the difference he can make on the team, especially with a team like Toronto that has some fundamental disadvantages.

Oh, you said he's only 50% better than the average guy. 50% better than second best? Yeah, probably not THAT much better.

morey getting 10-12 million. Massai has been better than morey. pat riely is getting a similar number to massai and bob myers is around there as well.

[ontnut]

Rogers just being complete trash as they always are.

HOW much has their ownership value gone up in the years Masai has been here? They don't want to spring an extra $5 mil for the guy who is the consensus best GM in the league? Ugh, I'm so glad that there weren't TWO boneheads among ownership on this topic...

[aroc23]

Glad I cancelled my Rogers services this summer.

[radeonboy]

Ed Rogers what a racist POS. When mommy and sister hates your guts you know you done wrong.

[esqtvd]

Ed Rogers what a racist POS. When mommy and sister hates your guts you know you done wrong.

Except Rogers was right. Kawhi fell into the Raptors' lap, one and done. Now the Raptors are through. How people can ruin the NBA with race BS is wtf.

[esqtvd]

LeBron isn't 50% better than the average NBA starter.

1st, LeBron is more than 50% better than the average NBA starter, pretty trivially. You might need to get into semantics about what you mean by "better" but by "better", I'm talking about generating wins. LeBron probably generates 5x as many wins as an average NBA player at least without looking up the exact figures.

2nd, the comparison would be like saying LeBron is worth 50% more than Durant, not an average NBA starter. Masai probably makes at least 5x the median salary for a guy in his position.

Again, as I said, I would still pay him. I just get for someone only doing the math looking at peers how they would come to this conclusion.

well reasoned, well argued

Masai is no LeBron OR Durant let's be serious here

[Bentley1225]

I get where ER is coming from objectively speaking. Masai is not part of the on the court product and what point is an executive not worth that much more than the next executive. However, Masai IS the face of the franchise. He gives this franchise credibility in terms of culture and reputation which has merit in terms of recruiting free agents. Furthermore, he KNOWS how to find talent outside the draft. That is huge in being able to use conventional picks in trades and still find undrafted talent. His core is the undrafted VanVleet, the 27th pick in Siakam, the 23rd pick in OG and the 37th pick in Gary Trent Jr. Lastly, his connections/relationships/network is invaluable. I dont live in Africa but I have to think the Raptors brand building in that country is head and shoulders above majority of NBA franchises. Masai is worth every penny......